17 Things to Do If You Feel Cooped Up, Isolated, and All-Around Crappy

As people struggle with suddenly being stuck at home in the name of slowing the spread of the new coronavirus, it’s hitting me how much practice I have with this whole social distancing thing. As an introvert who lives alone, has the freedom to work remotely regularly, and deals with mental illness, a good deal of my normal life involves a not-insignificant amount of hermitting inside whether or not I want to. Combine that with the fact that I’m a mental health reporter who’s learned a thing or two about self-care over the years, and you can probably guess that I have several mental health tips for times when you’re forced to temporarily hide from the world.

Of course, as with most mental health tips, a lot of what works for you will depend on personal circumstances. Self-isolating as someone who lives alone will be different than it is for someone stuck inside with a bunch of family or roommates, for example. Same goes for factors like if you’re working remotely, have an abundance of free time, or are taking care of or even homeschooling kids. So take what you like from these tips, leave the rest, and above all, look after yourself.